DON’T YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOU OFFER YOURSELVES TO SOMEONE TO OBEY HIM AS SLAVES, YOU ARE SLAVES TO THE ONE WHOM YOU OBEY—WHETHER YOU ARE SLAVES TO SIN, WHICH LEADS TO DEATH, OR TO OBEDIENCE, WHICH LEADS TO RIGHTEOUSNESS?
(Romans 6:16).

For a big part of my life, I lived a sinful lifestyle of obeying the lies of the father-of-lies, moment-by-moment, a hundred times a day.  When a negative, destructive thought entered my mind, I accepted and believed it, and reacted to it in a sinful way.  Believing the thoughts “You are not important,” “You are not acceptable,” and “You have no purpose,” I reacted to them with childish, irrational behavior. But do you know what happens if you continually obey these thoughts and act this way?  YOU BECOME A SLAVE TO THE SINFUL NATURE in you. You lose your dignity—the quality of being worthy of honor and respect.

THOSE WHO BELONG TO CHRIST JESUS HAVE CRUCIFIED THE FLESH WITH ITS PASSIONS AND DESIRES
(Galatians 5:24).

Beloved One, change your lifestyle. Turn to Me. Instead of receiving and believing the negative, destructive thoughts of the father-of-lies, take them captive and submit them to Me. Instead of reacting to these painful thoughts with childish, irrational behavior, surrender your sinful nature to Me. I will set you free from the lies of the father-of-lies. When I tell you that you belong to Me, your dignity will return…and you will respond with logical, adult-like behavior.

BUT NOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN SET FREE FROM SIN AND HAVE BECOME SLAVES TO GOD, THE BENEFIT YOU REAP LEADS TO HOLINESS, AND THE RESULT IS ETERNAL LIFE
(Romans 6:22).

Have you lost your dignity—the quality of being worthy of honor and respect? Would you like it back?

Then, stop acting like a child. Take the thoughts captive that cause you to feel like a child, and submit them to the Lord Jesus. Listen to what He wants to tell you. When you hear His words to you, you will start feeling like a worthy adult…and start acting like one, too.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I am tired of feeling like a child inside my mind and heart. I am tired of living without dignity. I am tired of not being the me that was created in Your image. Restore my dignity, Lord Jesus. Redeem my soul from the lies of the father-of-lies. Help me to become an adult.